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Shrewsbury is a town in the agricultural Susquehanna Valley region of York County, Pennsylvania. It is located four miles above the Mason-Dixon line (PA-MD border). With approximately 3,500 people residing in Shrewsbury, it is a small suburban community with many farms and family owned or Amish farmers' markets. It's accessibility to Interstate 83 makes it very easy for travelers to reach many other Pennsylvania and Maryland locations.

Understand

Shrewsbury was first settled in part of a larger area known as Shrewsbury Township in 1739. As the village developed, it was incorporated as its own town in 1834. The largest ancestry group in Shrewsbury is from Germany, with 38 percent of residents today identifying with either German or Pennsylvania Dutch heritage. The town of Shrewsbury covers a mere 1.8 square miles, existing in the township that covers 29 square miles. The township includes Shrewsbury, Railroad, New Freedom, and Glen Rock, and students attend the Southern York County School District.

The town has developed rapidly, with a population increase of 45 percent in the past 20 years. With nearly double the people, farms and pieces of land have been sold and commercialized with creation of strip malls and multiple shopping plazas. Although Shrewsbury is part of the York metropolitan area, most commuters travel south to Baltimore County for work. Sixty-five percent of Shrewsbury residents are married or have families, with a median family income of about $57,000 per year. Majority of citizens in Shrewsbury claim to be registered Republicans, and demographically, the town is 97 percent white.

Get in

By Car

* Driving North: From Baltimore, take Interstate 83 North. Shrewsbury is the first exit when you cross into Pennsylvania, Exit 4 Shrewsbury.

* Driving South: From York, take Interstate 83 South. Shrewsbury is the last exit before crossing the Maryland line, Exit 4 Shrewsbury.

By Plane

* Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), Baltimore, MD 21240, 410-859-7111. About a 50 minute drive from Shrewsbury, BWI airport has many flight options available. There are also many rental car companies for travelers to choose from if they are driving North to Shrewsbury. Be careful of rush-hour flights because traffic can make the commute over an hour and a half from Baltimore to Shrewsbury on any given day. Take 195 West from the airport to Interstate 95 North for 2.1 miles. Take the I-695 North/Baltimore Beltway Inner Loop for 17 miles, and exit 24 to Interstate 83 North. Shrewsbury is the first exit once you cross into Pennsylvania, exit 4 Shrewsbury.

* Harrisburg International Airport (MDT), Terminal One, #300, Middletown, PA 17057, 717-948-3900. Smaller airport than BWI with less flight options, but is usually a shorter commute because there is usually less traffic than when coming from Baltimore. There are also many rental car companies to choose from. Take 283 West from the airport to Interstate 76 West (the PA turnpike) for 5 miles. Exit 242 takes you to Interstate 83 South. Drive for 36 miles to exit 4, Shrewsbury.

Get around

Rabbit Transit, Main Location: 1230 Roosevelt Avenue, York, PA 17404. 717-846-7433, http://www.rabbittransit.org/. There are Rabbit Transit stops at many different places in Shrewsbury, including Shrewsbury Commons, Market Square, the public library, and the Markets at Shrewsbury. Service is reliable and can take you from Shrewsbury to other places around York County on 15 of their fixed routes. The Shrewsbury to York route is Monday-Friday, 6 am - 7 pm. Senior citizen and student discounts are available. Out of town adult one-way fare: $1.40. Unlimited adult day-pass: $4.25.

See

Do

Buy

Eat

Breakfast

1. Mason-Dixon Family Restaurant, 3 Old Farm Lane, Market Square Shopping Center. 717-235-6471. Monday-Friday, 6 am – 9 pm, Saturday and Sunday, 7 am - 8 pm. Always busy with locals and families, but fast and welcoming service with local high school students waiting and hosting tables. Diner-type food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Pancakes and waffles for less than $2. Average breakfast platter price: $5.75.

3. Cracker Barrel, 13600 Wolfe Road, Stonebridge Plaza, 717-235-4040. http://www.crackerbarrel.com/. Sunday – Thursday, 6 am – 10 pm, Friday and Saturday, 6 am – 11 pm. Home style country cooking served at large tables, where the fireplace can keep you warm. Breakfast is served all day, along with lunch and dinner menus. Busiest on Sunday mornings, but you can wait for your table outside on the rocking chairs or browse the country store. Entrees are more expensive than other breakfast locations and the service is a bit slower, but you also get larger portions and side dishes with every meal. Homemade desserts baked daily. Average breakfast platter price: $8.00.

4. Ship to Shore Coffee, Inc., 17 Old Farm Lane, Market Square Shopping Center, 717-227-2232. Monday-Friday, 6 am – 5 pm. Saturday and Sunday, 7 am – 4 pm. Serves light bakery items along with coffee beans that are roasted right on location. Huge selection of coffee drinks, cappuccinos, lattes, etc. Very friendly owner that knows most of his customers by name. Drive-up service on weekday mornings and a side room with tables and board games available too. Average pastry and cup of coffee price: $5.00.

Drink

Sleep

Shrewsbury only has one hotel in the Stonebridge Plaza. There are motels off the exit before and the exit after on Interstate 83 if travelers would like to seek cheaper locations. Most people traveling in and around Shrewsbury have family nearby; for those familiar with the area, the Bed and Breakfast that used to exist on Main Street was closed a couple of years ago.

Hampton Inn, 1000 Far Hills Drive. From Interstate I-83 take Exit 4, Shrewsbury. East onto Rt 851 (towards Stewartstown). Turn left onto Wolfe Rd in the Stonebridge Plaza. Take the first left onto Far Hills
Drive, and the Hampton Inn is on the left. Phone: 717-235-9898. Fax: 717-235-9897, http://www.hamptoninn.com/en/hp/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=SWYPAHX. Check-in time at 3 pm, Check-out time at 11 am. Can be seen from Interstate 83. As the only hotel in town, there are always lots of people coming and going, so travelers should almost always plan to book their stay in advance. There's a complimentary breakfast with good service, and an indoor swimming pool that is very clean. Current price is listed as $111/night.